North Saskatchewan River

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The North Saskatchewan river is a historic Canadian waterway that runs from the Rocky Mountains east into Saskatchewan, for a distance of nearly 1,300 km. Almost the entire distance is navigable, which made it a prime transportation route for early fur traders. Put-in points are frequent, camping spots are numerous, and wildlife is varied and abundant.

The North Saskatchewan eventually feeds into the Saskatchewan River.

While an end-to-end North Saskatchewan trip could take the better part of a summer, most canoeists and kayakers tackle the North Saskatchewan in much shorter spans.

Whitewater is found in the North Saskatchewan's upper course, in the meltwater of the Saskatchewan glacier along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Waterfalls and wildlife - moose, elk, and mountain goats - are the backdrop.

Popular paddling stretches of the river's upper end include:

• Saskatchewan River Crossing to Abraham Lake - Starting about 50 kilometres from the Saskatchewan glacier, this 30 kilometre stretch passes through the front ranges of the Rockies. The current is fast, but all rapids are runnable. Count on 1-2 days to reach Alberta's largest man-made lake.

• Nordegg to Rocky Mountain House - One of the most popular paddling stretches of the North Saskatchewan, this 131 kilometre route through the Rocky Mountain foothills provides almost continuous whitewater. A series of Class II - III rapids includes Devil's Elbow, close to the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site. Camp on river islands or at local campgrounds and plan to spend 3 - 4 days on the river.

• Rocky Mountain House to Drayton Valley - Another intermediate level fast water stretch, with Class I - III rapids, heads east toward the prairie. Count on 3- 4 days to cover 133 kilometres.

• Drayton Valley - Edmonton - A 134-kilometere, 3-day trip for novice paddlers, into Edmonton. No whitewater above a Class II rating.

• Devon to Edmonton - The scenic 1 - 2 day paddle from the outlying town of Devon, Alberta, into Edmonton, featuring an overnight stay on a river island. No rapids.

Edmonton and East -- The river flattens out now, and flows steadily at a rate of 3 - 4 kilometres per hour, heading east and southeast into north-central Saskatchewan before veering northeast toward its confluence with the South Saskatchewan. Even with the help of a strategically-erected sail, long-distance trippers should count on 2 weeks to paddle from Edmonton to the Battlefords, about halfway to Prince Albert in Saskatchewan. There are 600 kilometres of waterway to cover from the Alberta border to the Codette Lake, the man-made reservoir that marks the end of the North Saskatchewan's natural course. But the river's middle and eastern stretches will reward paddlers with sweeping vistas through boreal forests and abundant grasslands, skies filled with countless flocks of migratory birds, and an almost endless choice of sand spits, gravel bars and sheltered shores for camping.

There are convenient river landings at the North Saskatchewan's many historical sites including Fort Pitt and Fort Carlton.